Above The Influence
by Monkey r good Chikens r evil
Summary: Southside Queens. 1999. Remember the feelings, Remember that day? It would never have happened if someone would only listen to us. The Whole Hostage Situation. An’ I happened to be stuck in the library w6 others… just my luck... Right?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own anything, or any part of "Light It Up". The only thing I own is the extra characters I added. (Gwen and her family members)

Based off the Movie- "Light It Up" (1999)

Rated- PG 13/14- Language and violence

Note that Gwen and family are Characters not associated with the Movie

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**Prologue **

Southside Queens, 1988. The smell of heavy smoke came into the tiny coat closet in the front hall, as a figure entered.

"YOU OK?" A huge black hand laid upon the frail little seven year olds shoulder. She only stared up at him with large hazel eyes. Tears began to stream down as he grabbed her into a bear hug. "It's going to be ok. It's going too."


	2. Chapter 2

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**Week 1**

"It's going to be ok. It's going too. It's going to be ok." I tell myself as I walk along the concrete blocks that serve as a sidewalk.

"Gwen? Your not hyperventilating are you?" Stephanie, my best friend, looks at my face with concern. Her coffee eyes staring.

"Nah. Just worried about Knowles's test; that is if I get a test."

"Don't worry. We'll both get one. But we got to hurry to sit in the front." She says grabbing my wrist, and dragging me toward the school. I glance down at her feet, thinking how she can run in those heels. Looking down at my own feet; combat boots.

Lincoln High School. If ever a Hell, this would be it. Broken windows, barely any text books, (if you have one you better hold on to it), horrible plumbing and electricity. However, the worst part about this _Hell, _is that no one listens. Not to our opinions or voice. No. The teachers only listen to themselves. Except Knowles. He's the only one.

For Me…I can't believe that I been going here for four years. I'm so thankful I'm going to collage next year… if my foster mom, or I can pay for it.

There it is. An enormous brick building. Four windows, space, four windows, ect, until they all go across the front. I count them as we make our way through the blue double doors. Down the bitter hall toward our lockers, I pull my woolen overcoat closer to my body, and ignore the 398 faces around me. Ignoring is the best way to avoid having a conflict, or worst getting a knife thrown on you.

7.2.3. I turn my lock. Click. I quickly grab it and throw it in my pocket before anyone could grab it. Stephanie gives a small chuckle and smiles. (Her lock was stolen yesterday.) I look into the mirror in my locker, and grunt.

I pull my ski hat down further, and mess with the curls in my brunette chest length hair. "Damn."

"Bad hair day?"

"No, there's little circles forming under my eyes." I turn around to face her, pulling the skin down with my finger. She only rolls her eyes "We should get to class." I snatch my social studies book, and slam my locker. One of the hinges comes clashing to the floor. Stephanie smirks, as she puts her compact powder into her skirt pocket.

"Was sup Ladies?" I twirl around and sure enough it's that dim-witted con man Rivers. "Can I interest you in a lock?" He holds out a silver lock with yellow mildew all over it right in front of my face. "We'll say five."

"Five bucks for that contaminated thing. Your joking right?"

"Bargainers. All right. How about two bucks and a date." He whispers to me, as he pulls a hand through his dirty blond hair. At this point, I just want to poke him in his eyes. That would take the shine out of the brown.

"Already have one." I hold my lock in front of his face.

"Oh." Turning from me, he holds it up to Stephanie. "How 'bout you?"

"Don't even tempt me Rivers."

"Come on Step." I grasp her arm, before Rivers could trap us between our lockers. I drag her behind me as we make our way to Knowles's room.

"Want something else? Cell phone, jewelry, pager? RENT TICKETS?" He shouts behind us. Stephanie and I look at each other, rolling our eyes. As we pass Mrs. Reeds's room, I put a hand over my nose to plug out the mold, and mildew smell. The hall is covered with it, but this is where it reeks the most.

_Room 13. _Sounds like a bad omen doesn't? Whatever.

Thud. I sit in the middle of the first row, a decent place. Not so close to the window where you can freeze your ass off, and not so close to the door that you get sprayed by leaking pipes. Taking out my lock I begin doing the combination over and over.

"This is crap. They think we can get a proper education with these conditions?" Stephanie whines as she slides beside me, picking up her text book.

"Dido. This school is like a circus on crack. Or the clowns in it."

"Will you two shut up?" I twist around in the chair and stare at a mop of cheery hair.

"Lynn you ok?" Raising her hand with rings on all fingers, she sticks up the middle one. I turn back around and mess with my lock again, as people begin to stagger in.

"Ladies." Stephanie nudges my arm as Lester walks in. If there is one person she doesn't like to talk to, it's him. I mean she will, but she rather I do the talking, because she has a huge crush on him.

"Hey Lester."

"Hi." He gives me only a smile, then focuses on Stephanie. "So. Ya know that my basketball game is Friday right."

"Yeah."

"Ya going?"

"Gwen and I."

"Oh. See ya there then? The both of ya?"

"Sure." She grips my hand as Lester makes his way to the third row. "He is so perfect, and looks so much like Usher." She squeals, her face turning rosey.

"I think he can pass as his twin." We both look at each other giggling. Smack! A paper ball hits the back of my head. I open it up. _Shut the hell up_.

"Good morning. I trust that everyone wore something warm? It's flu season." Mr. Knowles asks as he throws his scratched up leather satchel on the desk covered in graffiti. Sitting on top of it he pushes up his rounded glasses. "Those of you that have text books, please take them out." As if on cue, the trash bag that "was" covering the window for "installation" comes flying off, landing on the people sitting next to it. Tiny snow flakes begin to fill the windowsill. "Damn it. Someone go get the janitor."

"He quit yesterday. Said he was getting sick of the smell." Lester spoke, shielding the cold air with his jacket.

"We can burn some books?" Lynn says raising her head.

"There aren't enough to keep us warm." Stephanie groans, flipping through the pages of her text book. Lynn glimpses at her, then lays her head back down.

"Here's what we'll do. We will have class in the second story library. You can use any books to help you with your test." Knowels shouts over the moans of the class. "If you can find any." He mumbles silently to himself.

So this is what it was like for the rest of the week. Shuffling from classroom to classroom in the bitter cold hallway, having trash bags pop from the windows. Today (Friday), Mr. Davis the science teacher couldn't stand these conditions and quit on the spot, so we got to leave early. At least it would be warm in the gym. All that body heat.

After school was over the bell buzzed, and everyone ran to the gym. Except us. Stephanie had to go "check" herself.

"You think that this bronze matches my chocolate skin?"

"I don't understand. Why are you making a big deal?" I start fixing the blue scarf wrapped around my head.

"Gwen, it's Lester!"

"It's Lester!" I try mimicking her. She only glares at me, then fixes the clip in her jet-black hair. "You look fine. I'll go the gym to get seats." I begin to leave when she yells, "WAIT." Lynn walks past in a hurry as we make our way out the door. She looks awful, like she is going to barf all over herself.

Before the game begins, Principle Armstrong comes out with a microphone. "Students of Lincoln High. Standing next to me is your new patrol officer, Jackson." Indeed there is some bulky figure standing next to him. His head so bald, the lights are shinning off of it. Armstrong keeps blabbing about Jackson and the NYPD. I swear some of the students are falling asleep.

After forever, the game finally starts. The score 2-5 (us winning by 3 thanks to Lester), "Mamma" shows up.

"Gwen. I know you want to stay, but I really need help with the kids. Maybe some other time you can stay for the whole game?" She mumbles playing with a piece of string from her pink wool sweater, then moving toward the curls in her graying black hair. "May I steal her Stephanie honey?"

"Sure Mrs. Cadly." Mamma commits a weak smile to her. A big gap between her teeth. Turning to me," Get what you need this weekend. I'll be in the car." Patting my arm, she tries not to make any noise as she tumbles down the bleachers.


	3. Chapter 3

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**End of Week 1**

"Guess what Lester asked me at work today?"

"What!"

"He got two tix to Lauryn Hill for next Friday! He asked if I wanted to go..."

"What ya say?"

"I didn't say anything. Well, that I'll think about it."

"Think about it? You must be going loco."

"Y'know trying to get a scholarship is really difficult right now, and I have to concentrate on that."

"Yeah. I know. I'm trying to get one too. Hopefully to a worthy school that doesn't compare to the slumps of Southside."

"Such as?"

"A collage in Queens."

"Hear that. Anyway what do you think I should say?"

"Yes. You should say yes, Steph. You like him don't ya?

"Yeah."

"Then there's your answer."

"'Kay. Listen, since I'll be gone Friday for our movie night, don't be lonely all right?"

"Lonely? I have seven other foster kids to hangout with."

"None your age though."

"Still won't be lonely."

_Pause…_

"I have to go. Dad's buggin' 'bout the paper we have to do about our ethnicities, and he wants to tell me all 'bout Africa."

"'Kay. Bye then."

"Hey. Don't be lonely."

"Bye." Hanging up my fuzzy purple phone, I lay down on my blue/gold bed quilt. Staring up at the ceiling, I scan over the mural I made. An abstract angel holding on to a little girl, who is praying, while around her is fire. There's firefighters, policeman, and even a horrible monster coming out of a closet.

Man, my head hurts. Getting up, I turn to the small barred window, and stare at the tiny string of Christmas lights I keep up year around. Looking up out the window, a police vehicle passes in a blur. Growing up in Southside, you get used to all the crime activity. I rollover to face my "closet of a room" with all the posters, and pictures stuck to the wall with tacky glue.

"Dinner." Trevor, the second oldest of the foster children, (who's 13) shouts as he opens my door. "Come on Rodriquez." I yawn getting off my bed. I only walk past two other bedrooms, then I'm in our living room. Rosey, Janelle, James and Kurt are playing with marbles on the carpet. I look into our kitchen from what we call "the hole in the wall." Really it's just a big square cut into the wall, so Mamma can see what's happening in the living room.

I look in to see Mamma trying to feed Ryan, while Ashley is throwing cheerios across the plastic card table, that we call a dinning table. I focus back on Mamma. I feel thankful that someone would have the heart to take in eight kids when nobody wanted them. Or at least yet. I'm lucky that I was the first one, and the only one she ever adopted.

When you live in a foster home, you see kids come and go. It's heartbreaking, so you try to not get so attached.

"Ryan, will you just eat the peas?" Mamma sighs as she tries to give them to him. He knocks the spoon out of her hand, which lands with a clang. "Son of a bitch." He launchs into a fit. I walk in, and grab the spoon off the floor.

"Here Mamma. Let me take care of this. You should go lay down."

"Blessed angel." She cups my chin in her hands and gives me a kiss on the forehead. Her curlers fall out of her hair as she moves toward the living room. "I need to talk to you later." Laying down, she pulls her pink bathrobe around her. "Trevor and you have pizza in the microwave." She closes her eyes, immediately falling asleep.

"Stop crying." I pick Ryan up, and start bouncing him on my hip. Opening the microwave, I take out my piece of pizza.

"Stop pulling!" Putting the pizza down on the table, I move his hand away from my ski hat. "Ashley stop throwing cheerios." I mumble as I place Ryan on the counter.

"Your not the boss of me." She sticks out her tongue, and continues to throw.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Ashley." She sticks her tongue back out. "That's it, come on." Snatching her out of the seat, the bowl of cheerios splatters all over the floor. "Damn it." I kick the bowl, and head out of the kitchen. "Hey marble players, keep an eye on Ryan?"

"Whatever." They grunt.

"Trevor." I yell as he enters his room.

"What?" Taking off his headphones, he stares at the screaming child in my arms.

"Can ya feed Ryan?"

"Feed him what? He ruined all his peas."

"Just feed him little bits of pizza or something."

"Whatever."

"Seriously. Help now!"

"Fine." He squeezes by us, making Ashely almost falling out of my grasp, because she tries grabbing at him. Opening the door to the girls room, I "throw" her in there, then shut the door before she can get to it. "Teach ya some manners." I holler as I lock the door. "Jesus."

It continues all night, the tantrums. I finally get everyone asleep around 11:49; only one person isn't home. Trevor.

"Where's the money?" Someone outside screams words I can't make out. Turning off the T.V. I make my way to the front door. Glancing out the window, some thugs are outside with Trevor. Right away I know what is happening.

"Trevor?" I unlock the door, and run down the stairs, carefully trying not to slip on my flannel pants. "Trevor what the hell?"

"Gwen get back inside."

"What's the prob?" I ask putting an arm around my "brother."

"This punk owes us money. Forty-two in back fees, and twenty in advance." The biggest of the gang holdd out a carpet blade, showing only enough so it glints in the light from the open door way.

"What does he owe ya for?" A shiver runs up my spine.

"Gwen-" He looks down at his feet.

"Shut up Trevor."

"Smack, Speed." "The thug" murmurs as he plays with the blade. I gaze at Trevor, my jaw hanging open for a split second. "Unless you can't pay for it, we'll just have to get it back from him." He comes slowly towards him with the blade. I jump between him and Trevor.

"Hold up, we can work this out."

"We're not into negotiations."

"All right. I'll go get ya sixty-two, just wait."

"You better for his sake."Running up the stairs, I slip a little. Mamma comes out of her room, asking what the ruckus is. I tell her to go back to sleep. Sticking my hand in my bank, I take out all the money I had. Running faster then I ever have, I'm right back downstairs paying the gang.

"Nice doing business with you." They smirk as they get back in their corvette.

"Gwen I-" I glare at him, then look back at the $1.56 I had left in my hand.

"That was collage money Trevor. Collage money. To get away from this." I gesture around the broken misshapen houses. "To actually get an education, and be successful." Trevor looks up at me. Angry tears in his eyes.

"Keep fantasizing. You and about four others, are the only ones who want to make a life despite of this shitty place! People like me can't. 'Cause we aren't that successful."

"Trevor that's not true, you can change. You don't need drugs, or violence to-"

"It's not that. People don't listen."

"I listen."

"No. No you don't. If you were listening, you'd know I've been taking drugs for the past three months." I just gap at him. The words escape my mind, which has stopped in mid air. I drop the rest of the money at his feet, then run to my room, hoping when I wake up, tomorrow would be a change for the better.


	4. Chapter 4

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

Week 2

**7:31 A.M**

"Wake up Southside Queens. It's 7:31 and it's going to be the coldest day we've had so far of a temperature of 22 degrees. So keep warm, ice your cars, and-" My hand swats the radio. I roll over on to my belly, and pull the covers over my head. I have an extraordinarily unpleasant feeling, that today is going to be a bad day, which wasn't even half way over.

"Gwen? You going to school today?" Mamma comes in, and pulls the covers down. "You feeling all right?"

"Yeah I am. Just a slow start." That is such a lie. A flu was beginning to take over, and my ankle was still a little swollen when I fell on it from jumping into my bed last night.

"Ok then. Just remember dress warmly. I'll pick you up after school." I look up at her. Question on my face.

"What's with the sudden change? You usually pick up Trevor and I at his school." Sitting on my bed Mamma runs a hand through my hair, and begins tying it up in a ponytail. "You know how I told you not to have favorites?" She tightens her grip. "Hand me your scarf, I'll put it in your hair."

"He's been adopted." I glimpse down at my hands.

"Nice people. Have three little girls. They are rather wealthy, so he will be better off." She gives me her weakest smile.

"When did he leave?"

"This morning. Around six. His new parents said that he shouldn't say goodbye, because it might take him longer to settle in."

"Oh." I get up out of the bed, forcing Mamma off. A tear falls from her eyes as she gives me a bear hug.

"I'll let you get dressed." I barely take anytime, because I want to leave as soon as possible from my little world. I throw on some black baggie board pants, place a blue wrap around sweater over my tang top, then my gray sweat shirt. I grab my ski hat and overcoat, and head toward school.


	5. Chapter 5

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**8:47 A.M.**

"Report time. Anyone want to go first?" Everyone stares down at their feet, or the ceiling trying to ignore Mr. Knowles gaze. "Stephanie." Getting up gingerly, she straightens the purple sweater under her tan coat.

"As you can tell, my ethnicity is definitely Black, or some may call it African- American. My ancestors came from South Africa in the 1800's…."

One by one people gave reports, until it was time for me to go.

"Some of you know that I live with a foster parent." I swat my forehead with my hand. "I mean adopted parent. She fosters other kids. Anyway she told me, that my mother was from Spain, and my father was from Mexico." I keep continuing to blab on about my parents until I lose everyone's interest. Only one person gave interest in my report when I said _Adopted Parent, _and that is Ziggy.

I don't really like giving reports to the class, so I make eye contact with Ziggy the whole time. His eyes, a mixture of green and brown hold my gaze, like he knows what I'm saying. Nodding a couple of times, his afro, made of dreadlocks bounce with each nod; so does the flaps on each side of his hat.

"Excellent reports everyone." Knowles claps his hands a couple of times, then sets them in his pockets. As if on cue again, the trash bag (a new one was put over the window) blows off. It lands on me, because I got stuck sitting by the window. Knowles slams his fist on the desk. "I had it with these conditions! And the lack of educational materials!"

"Mr. Knowles?" I ask pulling the trash bag off from my body.

"Rodriquez!" He turns toward me taking the trash bag. "Where is the nearest park from the school?"

"Um…about a twenty minute walking distance."

"Perfect! Class. We're going out."

"Mr. Knowles, off campus!" Stephanie jumps out of her seat, unable to contain her excitement.

"Yes. A perfect learning opportunity to explore people in their everyday working habits."

"What about Armstrong?" Lester gets up out of his chair, and pulls his coat around him.

"Let me deal with Armstrong. Right now I just want to give you the chance to learn." Running over to the door, he flings it open. "Follow me." Everyone gets up out of their seats, and shuffle out the door.

"Gwen!"

"Hey Ziggy." He makes his way over to me, with his sketch book at his side. "You excited about going off campus."

"Sure I guess. Although I'm wondering how this situation is going to play out with Armstrong." I snatch my textbook up, and head toward the door.

"Here let me get that for you." Ziggy rushes past me, and swings open the door.

"Thanks." Making my way through, I head toward Stephanie, who was waiting by the drinking fountain.

"I think Knowles lost it." I hand my textbook to her as I take a drink.

"Come on Gwen, he's going against Armstrong. It's brave."

"However stupid." I retrieve my book from her as we walk down the hallway to the front of the school. "I don't' know, maybe I'm just paranoid that nothing good is going to come out of this."

"Your paranoid." She nudges me with her arm.


	6. Chapter 6

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**9:09 A.M.**

"Glance around you. Feel the icy air come in contact with your skin."

"Yep. I feel it." Everyone cracks up as Anthony walks around our tiny group.

"Put your shirt back on Stevens, unless you really want to freeze." Knowles commands, putting a hand up to his forehead. "If you continue to goof off, this is where you'll live. On the streets of Queens begging for shelter, and provisions. This is where you all will be, if you never get a proper education."

Those words sink into my mind as I glimpse around the tiny park we are in. Through a group of trees I catch sight of an old man walking around with a shopping cart full of cans, going around the corner of a coffee shop. Hopefully nobody I know will become like that. Weak, tired, old, from living off the streets.

"Pare up with someone and feel free to mess around. Just don't leave." Knowles sits down on a park bench. "I mean it." He rubs his hands together. "I'll give you twenty minutes, and if ya'll get cold, we'll go in the restaurant across the street behind me."

"Come on." I grab Stephanie's arm, and head toward the fountain in the middle of the park.

"What ya want to do?"

"Well. This is suppose to be a learning experience, so we should at least get something out of this."

"Right. Who knows if Knowles might give us an assignment over this." Sitting down on the cracked fountain, Stephanie swishes the muddy water around inside. "You think people drink this?"

"No. I think they use the bathroom in it." She pulls her hand out, and wipes it on her jacket.

"Where do you think these people live?"

"Over there." I point toward the coffee shop corner, where the old man went down. "There's probably boxes over there. This area is convenient, 'cause there's a soup kitchen, and a free clinic over there." I point to the two buildings to my right.

"Got ya."

"So. You tell him yet?" I nod toward Lester, who was messing with a piece of cardboard a few feet away.

"Tell Lester what?"

"Y'know what."

"Oh. No not yet."

"Fine, but your losing time." She looks down at her feet. However I can tell she is smiling. I skim the park for something to look at, when I noticed Lynn. She has her headphones on, oblivious to the world. She appears to be paler then ever, and is clutching her stomach. "What do you think is wrong with Lynn?"

"She's probably taken' drugs, like everyone else."

"Hmm." I begin to twirl my ponytail around my finger. For the rest of the seventeen minutes, I think about the things I said to Trevor. During the snow fight we had, I tell myself I need to say I'm sorry. Although how can I cross that bridge? I don't even know where he lives now.

"Is anyone frozen yet?" Knowles yells, as he surrenders from the snowballs coming toward him. We all nod our heads, as we wrap our coats around us. "Kay. Let's go." We shuffle behind him, as we make our way to the little restaurant. Inside, we gather around the little fireplace, letting the warmth reach all the way to our toes.


	7. Chapter 7

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**10:03 A.M.**

Tick… Tick… Tick. What happened at the restaurant, I can't say wasn't a typical event. People gett'n shot, and killed is just as regular as people going shopping for clothes. Mr. Knowles playing the hero isn't a surprise to me either. He stepped in there, and sure enough we're back at school. Sitting outside Armstrong's office.

"You took the students off campus?" Lester, Ziggy, Stephanie, and I gather around the door.

"There was no place to go on campus."

"Call me Union Rev. Your suspended."

"What!"

"He can't do that." Lester bangs on the door.

"Armstrong has the power to lay off people as he like." I put a hand up to my forehead. "Even people who act like a hero."

"Fuck this." Lester swings the door open. "How dare you?"

"Lester." Stephanie follows him into Armstrong's office. I turn to Ziggy and shrug, then follow behind.

"You guys it's all right." Knowles snatches up his satchel, and heads toward the door behind him.

"No it's not." Stephanie grabs Mr. Knowles's satchel, and throws it on Armstrong's desk. Huge question begins to spread across my face. Turning toward Armstrong, she shoves the textbook at him. "We're supposed to study in a room that's freezing, and now you want to fire one of the few decent teachers that are still willing work here?"

Armstrong throws the book down on the desk. "Are you questioning my authority as the principle of this school?"

"No. I'm questioning you as a person." He glares at her, as his face begins to redden. I can see, with only a few more words, he's going to go off the deep end.

"Maybe Armstrong is just afraid of how we like the guy. Doesn't that make you lose some of the power over us?" Snap. You can see it in Armstrong's face, as River's walks in behind me.

"That's it, your both suspended." He points toward Stephanie, and Rivers.

"What!" Stephanie gaps at him. Rivers only points to himself.

"Armstrong. You have to be-" I step forward.

"Don't make me suspend you too." He speaks fiercely between clenched teeth.

"GET KNOWLES BACK! NO SUSPENSIONS!" A mob of people begins to shout outside the office. Ziggy stands on top of a table, leading the mob. Lester steps toward Armstrong.

"Com'on man. All she wants is our teacher back."

He only grunts, and sits down at his desk. "Jackson, com'on get these kids out of here. Take these two to detention." He points to Stephanie and Rivers. "And call the parents of these two." He points to Lester and Ziggy.

"No parents." Ziggy whimpers to himself. "No parents." Jackson clutches him by the shoulders.

"Let me explain." Ziggy protests as Jackson drags him out the door.

"Don't want no explanation."

"Lester!" Ziggy screeches as he grasps for the door frame. Lester runs after him.

"Follow them. Get out of my site. Your pissing me off." Armstrong doesn't even look up at us from over the papers he grabbed. "I said leave." Stephanie, and I shuffle out the door, pass the mob, and out into the empty hallway.

"People can be real jackasses sometimes." I put an arm around her. She looks like she is on the verge of crying.

Halfway down the hall we run into Jackson, who is struggling with Ziggy. Lester trying to grab at him. It's a tangle of legs, and arms. At a rapid pace they get up off the ground, Ziggy taking the gun from Jackson's belt.

"Ziggy." Stephanie speaks quietly, as we come to a sudden halt.


	8. Chapter 8

Above The Influence

**10:49 A.M**

**BAM! **


	9. Chapter 9

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**10:50 A.M.**

"Oh my gosh!" I fling my hand over my mouth, as Jackson sinks to the floor grasping his right leg.

"You shot me." Jackson looks up at Ziggy, who stares at us in horror. His eyes wide.

"Stephanie? Gwen?" He drops the gun with a clatter. "Ya both saw what happened. It was an accident. Right?" I glance down at Jackson. Blood seeping through his greenish pants.

"What the hell is happening? We heard a gun shot?" Armstrong comes sprinting down the hall with another patrol officer. His eyes wander from Stephanie and I huddled together, to Lester, who is shaking, then to Ziggy with the gun lying at his feet. "What…?"

"It was an accident." Armstrong glances down at Jackson.

"Zechariah. You now know we have to take you back home."

"I can't go home." He gaps at him. "I can't." Armstrong lunges toward him, and grasps him by the elbow. Ziggy only thrashes out. "I can't go home." The other patrol officer moves in.

Pinning Ziggy's hands behind his back, they force him down the hall.

"LESTER! LESTER!" Ziggy shrieks as Armstrong and the patrol officer haul him down the hall.

"LET HIM GO!" Lester snatches the gun up from the floor, and aims it at them. "LET HIM GO!" Armstrong, and the patrol officer lighten their grip. "Over here Zig." Ziggy squirms free from their grasp, and rushes toward Lester's side.

"It's all right. Put that gone down son. Think what your doing." Little by little, Armstrong walks toward him. "Just give me the gun." He holds out a shaking hand.

"No! I know what I'm doing. An I ain't gonna listen t' ya." Lester steps forward with the gun.

"What is it that you want?" Backing away, Armstrong begins to tremble all over. Lester takes a fleeting look at all of us, then at the small crowd gathering in the back of the hall.

"I want everyone out of the school. And I mean everyone. Including you, and the patrol officer your with."

"Ok." Armstrong closes the doors to block the hall we are in, then pulls the fire alarm nearest to him. Outside the door, we can hear people fleeing from their classrooms to the nearest exit. "Done. Anything else?"

"Yeah. You can leave."

"Done." He and the patrol officer walk toward Jackson, and start to pull him up.

"He stays." Lester moves even closer to them with the gun.

"Are you insane? This man needs a doctor."

"He stays." Lester commands. Armstrong lets go of Jackson, a sorry on his face. He and the patrol officer hastily walked toward the door. "You girls coming?"

"They stay too!" Lester points the gun at us.

"What?" I let go of Stephanie's hand. My heart skipping beats.

"Your witnesses. We need you both."

"Lester." Ziggy places a hand over Lester's grip on the gun.

"They stay." Armstrong turns to us, gawking. He holds up a hand, then thrusts it back to his side. The patrol officer and him slides past us out the door, whispering a quick apology. Stephanie wraps her tan coat around her.

"What now?"

Lester placeds the gun inside his coat. "Second floor Library."


	10. Chapter 10

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**11:03 A.M.**

"It's going to be ok. It's going to be." I think to myself as I do the combination to my lock, over and over again. Whatever number I'm on, it doesn't matter. I'm stuck sitting on a chair in the Library with a hostage.

"GET OUT!" People scamper out the door as Lester flashes the gun in the air. My eyes catch site of Jackson's face, him wincing in pain, as Lester handcuffs Jackson to a desk.

Glancing down at my pants, a "silver" stain sparkles from the light above me. It's difficult for my brain to decipher that a 200 something pound man leaned on my left side while going up a flight of stairs.

"Yo! Homeys! What I think you're doing is cool." Marquez, being the only one who stayed, steps away from the window. "An' I would stay, but y'know… my ma. She'll have my ass." He swats Lester's back as he tumbles out the door. "Stay safe ya'll."

Moving away from the window, Stephanie sits beside Jackson. "Lester, he needs a doctor." She takes off the scarf she is wearing, and starts wrapping it around his leg.

"You sure know what you're doing." She gives him a feeble smile.

"I volunteer at Jamaica Medical Hospital." With a whimper from Jackson, Stephanie ties the last knot.

"Thank-"

"We gonna do this, or what?" Rodney bangs the door behind him.

"Great. I feel safer already." I laugh at my own thought. Rodney thinks he's tuff, and maybe he is. He and his gangster get up.

"Rodney?" Rivers lifts his head from his hands.

"What" Rivers holds up his hands in whatever, and disappears behind the book shelves. Jackson lets out another moan. "What you making noise about?" Rodney steps in front of him. "The bullet went right through. Didn't hit a vain or nothin'." Jackson looks angrily at him.

"Where did you get your medical degree brother?" Rodney lifts up his shirt, revealing deep scars across his stomach.

"The University of Queens." He spits each word. "Brother."

"You hyperventilate?" Jackson turns his focus to me. I take one glance into his eyes, and then break his gaze.

"No." He imparts a small laugh.

"Just anxious then?" Placing the lock in my pocket, I make my way to the window.

"The police are pretty quick." I stick my fingers between the blinds.

"To quick." Lester slides beside me. "Listen. I don't know why I reacted like that. An' I know a sorry wont make up for it. But you and Stephanie should get out while you still have a chance."

"That's a good idea." Jackson speaks softly as he tugs at the handcuffs.

"No." Stephanie gets up off the floor. "I'm staying. You probably won't let him go Lester, and I'm not leaving without him." She motions toward Jackson.

"I'm probably too involved anyway." I stare at them both. Thoughts of Trevor flood my mind. "An' I won't leave without Step-"

"Look who I found." Rivers steps to the side, revealing Lynn. "Found her back by the fiction section listening to music."

"I heard that ya guys are holding someone hostage, and whatever."

"Lynn you should leave." Stephanie moves toward her.

"Yah, you shouldn't really tell me what to do." She pulls up the blinds. "Wow. The whole Calvary is here." Holding her coat close to her, she sits on the window seat.

"THIS IS THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE." An officer moves into position in the middle of the street, with a megaphone. "YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS TO SURRENDER, AND COME OUT. IF YOU RESIST, WE WILL SHOOT!"

"GET DOWN!" Lester grabs Ziggy by the shoulders, and pulls him down. Lynn just sits where she is, Rivers ducks under a broken bookcase, Rodney under the window sill, Stephanie, and I under the desk that Jackson is cuffed to. The seconds go by as if forever. We watch the clock tick 5…4…3…2…1……?


	11. Chapter 11

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**11:04 A.M**

"We dead?" Rivers sticks his head out.

"They didn't shoot at us dumb-ass." Lynn glares out the window. She clutches her stomach mumbling, "Damn it too."

"Maybe it's a trick? I mean what if their joshing us?" Ziggy peeps out the window.

"You mean like using verse psychology? Making us think we're safe, then BAM! Gets us when we're all standing up in view of the window? That sort of thing?" I lift my ski hat up over my eyes.

"You guys done with your made up shit of surprise attacks? Look out the window. The NYP moved away from the school, an' back behind their vehicles." Rodney pulls the blinds up. "Their waiting on something."

"Probably for a chance to come into the school." Lester gets up off the floor. "We have to do something about the stairwells."

"I know of a place where we can get chains and locks." Ziggy gets up, then makes his way over to the door. "We can easily lock the gates to the stairs, then throw furniture or things down them."

"A'right then. Go block the stairwells." Lester sits down on a chair facing Jackson taking out the gun. "I'll watch him." I crawl my way out from under the desk, and run after Ziggy and them toward the Teacher's lounge.

**11:07 A.M.**

"Here." Ziggy places six chains and five locks into my open arms. Walking toward one of the stairwells, Rodney and Rivers sprint pass me, causing me to drop some of the locks.

"Jesus." I bend over trying to balance the locks in my arms, and grabbing them off the floor.

"Gwen." Stephanie comes over, and snatches them up. "Look at them." She speaks softly handing me the locks. "I swear. You give guys a gun, and chains. An' they act like their three in candy store." I stare at Rodney and Rivers, who are throwing desks and chairs over the gates. "Let me help you."

On opposite sides we each grasp a rusty old gate and head toward each other. Screech. I try hard not to flinch, as the metal moans against the broken tile. We are about half way when they come to a sudden halt in the middle.

"Kind of looks like those gate things from Titanic. The ones that block the stairs." I thread a chain between the half closed gate.

"Yeah, but there's enough space to slid through."

"Hmm?" She is right. There is enough space to slide through between the gap.

"Y'know we still have a chance." Stephanie kicks at the door with her toe. "I probably still can get a scholarship, even though Armstrong suspended me. Maybe even you." I slide the chains off my arm, dropping them to the floor.

"Steph. Even if we where to get out now… what about the officers outside? I don't think they will let us go freely." She only nods her head. "An' Jackson. What do you think Lester would do? Or Rodney? Anyone of them could kill him. An' I know you don't want that to happen, and neither do I." I pick up the lock I let hanging from the gate, and start threading it again.

"Gwen? What's with the sudden change of staying?" My hands come to a sudden halt. "You didn't want to stay before. Maybe you should go." Trevor comes back into my mind that instant. My own words stabbing me. An anger opens up.

"Violence won't get us a scholarship to any school outside of Queens Step. If we go out there," I gesture to the stairs, "They probably wouldn't give us one, 'cause holding someone hostage won't look good one our reassumes." I turn to face her, then whisper, "However if we work this situation to our advantage, and say that we are witness hostages, they can clear us up like an honest mistake."

"Your acting selfish." She gaps at me.

"Selfish. Stephanie look at you. Your thinking of leaving out this door, trying to go an get a scholarship for yourself, when you want to stay here with Jackson."

"Well maybe I might go." She tugs the chain off the door.

"Y'know I have other reasons for staying here. Maybe it's 'cause I do want a scholarship, or maybe 'cause I don't want someone to get hurt, 'cause they don't disserve it." I stomp off down the hall, slaming the door as I walk into the "media room."


	12. Chapter 12

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**11:11 A.M.**

Freezing. Lonely. Walking toward the open window, I brush off snow that gathered on the broken desks. Sticking my head out of the window, I can see the NYP out of the corner of my left eye. What made me bubble up? An' why am I so worried about Jackson? Does he mean something to me?

"Kelly Stifle from NYC News station." A woman's high pitched voice wakes me up from my confusing questions. I glance down. Under me is this news truck, and a woman talking to some of the other students. I lean further out the window trying to grasp what their saying.

"Gang member's they are man. If I wasn't star runner of the track team, I probably would be gun downed. I think they taking drugs or somethin'. Ya have t'be pretty whacked out to take over a school. "

"What?" I lean back in. This is going to be all over the state. Gang members my ass. I stomp out the room, grabbing the nearest T.V. with me.


	13. Chapter 13

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**11:15 A.M **

"Hey! We're… Ziggy?" I stop in the doorway. Ziggy's backside is covered in whip marks. Not shallow ones, but deep ones. Lines of purple and blue.

"I'm ok. Just stop looking at me." He backs into a desk next to the door.

"Hey little man." Jackson speaks in a raspy voice. "Who did that to you?" No answer. "Who did that to you?"

"His old man." Lester moves away from the little group that formed in the corner. "See that's why he fell so hard when Armstrong wanted to send him home." He looks Jackson hard in the eye. "See what you did? Do you? DO YOU?"

"I'm just doing my job." Jackson takes a quick look down at his feet, then back up at Lester.

"Your job?" Lester questions.

"How could I have known that?" He gestures toward Ziggy.

"When did you ask? The first day? The first ten minutes you made up in your mind who we all were in that gymnasium." Lester backs away toward another desk behind him. RING! We all turn toward the telephone.

"Someone going to answer that?" I ask, pulling the T.V. behind me, as I enter the room. Lester hesitates before snatching it up. I make my way over to Lynn.

"What happened?" She looks at me then groans.

"Rodney and Rivers had a free for all. We tried pulling them apart, and they ripped Ziggy's shirt, thus revealing his scars." I only nod.

"WHAT WE WANT? WHAT WE WANT? Call later when I feel like answering you." Lester slams the phone down with a clash.

"Who was that?" Stephanie lays a hand on Lester's shoulder. He shrugs her off.

"Audrey McDonald. Department of Negotiations. She was asking us what we want."

"Well that's good." We all turn to her, some of us rolling our eyes.

"Um." Everyone turns their focus from her to me. "I leaned out the window of the media room, and there was a news truck."

"So." Rodney snickers at me.

"People are saying we're gang members on crack." Now it was my turn to kick something with my big toe. "I found a T.V."

"Plug it in." Rivers walks over to it, snatching the cord from my hand. Getting down on his hands and knees he searches for an outlet. Finding one, he starts pushing the cord in. "It's not going in. I'll have to fix the outlet." We gawk at him with question.

"You know how to do that?" Rodney pulls his hat over his eyes as he sits down on a chair.

"Yeah." Rivers sets to work, taking out a credit card, and undoing the screw. RING! The telephone rings again. This time Lester doesn't hesitate.

"Audrey?" On the other line, I can her mumbling. "Yeah this is Lester… who else is in here you have to figure out." He turns toward us. "What do you guys want?"

"Five Pizza's from Pizza Hut would be nice. I'm a little hungry." Ziggy finally speaks after a few minutes.

"Life insurance." Lynn sits down at a table and plays with a lighter.

"Martini. Shaken. Not stirred." Rivers commands as he fixes the outlet.

"Lester give the phone to me." Stephanie whispers behind him. "Lester." I look up at his face. He begins to sweat. I can tell he doesn't know what to do.

"Audrey y'know what ya can get me?" He shouts over everybody's voices. "My dad." With that he hangs up the phone. I glimpse at him with a sorry. Only a handful of people know that Lester's dad was killed by the NYP three months ago.


	14. Chapter 14

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**11:18 A.M**

"What's the point if we're holding someone hostage, and not asking for things?" Stephanie looks around at all of us. "You guys have all stupid demands. Think about what you really want."

_Awkward pause._

"It's sure is cold in here. They should fix the windows." Ziggy puts a hand behind his back, trying to close the tarred cloth.

"That's a demand." Stephanie grins as she picks up a pen and paper. "What else?" She raises the pen toward the roof. "Fix the pipes, get textbooks… have a career day."

"Career day. We really need that, now our futures look so bright." Lynn mutters.

"Other schools have them." Lynn only rolls her eyes. Stephanie drops the pen. "If you have all the answers Lynn, what do you want?"

"Yeah what do you want?" Rivers glances up from his work.

"What I want has nothing to do with this school, 'cause I'll only be here for a few more months."

"Where you going?" I look up from a book I snatched off the shelf.

"Fat and sick okay." Getting up she slowly walks toward the bookcases. Stephanie and I look at each other knowingly. The boys look at each other with confusion.

"Lynn you can still get an education?" Stephanie calls after her. She spins around.

"What is it with you and education? Unlike you, I can't show my tits to the principle to get into a decent school." I crack up, as Lynn disappears into the bookshelves.

"What's so funny Gwen." Stephanie shoots me a look.

"She's right." I say shrugging.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means. It's not like I don't know about your "heart to heart" talks with Armstrong." Stephanie gawks at me. "Everyone knows you can be a slut sometimes." I sit down on a desk.

"Slut. At least I'm not a bitch."

"Heeeh. Cat fight." Rivers stares at us.

"Bitch. You're the whore." I get off the desk.

"I'll just pretend I never heard that." She turns her back to me.

"Go to hell." I wave my hand, and go in between the bookshelves. I see Lynn reading a book about pregnancy. I slid down the back of one of the shelves facing her. "You scared?"

"No. Not really. I was at first. Then thought of the better."

"Does it hurt?"

"Just the cramps. I'm guessing it will be worth it though." I give her a smile.

"Hey." Stephanie comes over and sits next to Lynn. She peeks down at the book. "Pregnancy huh?" I ignore her gaze as she glances from Lynn to me.

"You guys want to know something." Lynn asks as she closes the book. She doesn't wait for us to answer. "All I wanted was for him to kiss me…I never got it. Instead I got knocked up." Stephanie and I look down at our hands, then at her. "Why do you guys even notice me?" Stephanie and I look at each other. "Let me take a guess. It's cause I say rude remarks about you two." She looks at us, then gets up. "Maybe that's why your friends?"

"Lynn?" Stephanie sits up on her knees.

"Listen Princess, I'm sick of pretty girls looking down on a slag like me."

"Lynn I didn't-"

"Save it for someone that cares." Turning around, she heads back toward everyone else. An awkward silence comes between Stephanie and I as she disappears.

"What if she's right?' Stephanie focuses on her hands.

"Steph. I'm sorry. I was way out of line to say those things. I'm angry at myself, and took it out on you. Can you accept a my apology?"

"Yeah, if only ya can accept mine. I shouldn't keep buggin' about education."

"Nah, you shouldn't." I give a small laugh. "Truths." I hold out my hand.

"Truths." Shaking hands, we hear a blast of electric currents, then CNN.


	15. Chapter 15

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**11: 24 A.M**

"Can you believe this? Being portrayed as gangsters."

"Slick. See how the world can change you so fast." Jackson gives Lester a weak smile. I look up at the screen, seeing a woman with large glasses appear behind a desk.

"CNN Reports that the hostage is Officer Dante Jackson. This is the very same officer who was wounded during the NYC Bank Robbery, while leading people to safety."

"Man, you're a freakin' hero." Rodney scowls. RING.

"What's with the publicity Audrey?" Lester barks into the phone. As he keeps arguing with her about not controlling the media, I make my way over to the water fountain. Filling a bottle with water, I take it to Jackson.

"Here." I hand it over to him. He snatches it out of my hand gulping it down. "Sorry I haven't been very helpful."

"Who's there to help?" His brown eyes scan my face. "What's your name?"

"Rodriquez. Gwen Rodriquez." He sticks out his hand.

"I heard that name before." I shake it.

"It's common." I look him over. "You're uncomfortable." He smiles at me. "All go get you a cushion." I walk over to the desk where Lester is. Coming to one of those wheelie chairs, I rip off a cushion that is hanging by a thread.

"The students that are holding the hostage, will follow at the top right of the screen. Stephanie Williams." The lady announces.

"Jennifer Lopez on a bad hair day." Rivers snorts. I glance over my shoulder at what he is looking at. On the screen is Stephanie's picture. She has a high ponytail on her head, which is all frizzy.

"Wow." I choke trying to get the word out.

"Okay. They really need to take that picture off." She laughs at herself.

"Ever hear of retakes?" Lynn amuses twirling her hair around.

"Robert 'Rivers' Tremont." Rivers picture appears.

"What's with the Elvis smirk?" I began cracking up. His hair is even angled like his.

"I had something on my lip okay." He shrugs his shoulders.

"Rodney J. Templeton."

"Dude. I didn't now you are bald." Rivers gasps when his picture comes up. Rodney just sneers at him.

"Zechariah Malone."

"It's Ziggy." He grins at all of us.

"Lynn Sabatini."

"Frankenstein's wife without the hair." Lester chuckles as he hangs up the phone.

"Yeah whatever." She moves from her hair to her rings.

"Gwen Rodriquez." I stare at my picture as it comes into view.

"Damn girl. Lookin' fine." Rivers hollers winking at me.

"Shut up." I cast him a look.

"Why couldn't my picture turn out like yours. It's perfect." Stephanie moans, placing an arm around my shoulder.

"Why you always wearing those wraps around your head?" Ziggy watches me pull down my ski hat with question.

"Hey it's Lester. Lookin' like a jock man." Thank God for Rodney interrupting before I would have to answer.

"Even showing our pictures, they still think we're gang members." Lester grunts. RING!

"Don't get that." Lynn runs over to the phone and places a hand over it. "Telephones are for the dark ages. If we want them to meet our demands, lets do it right." A gigantic smile spreads across her face. "Lets go global."

**11:28 A.M **

"It's .com, not .net." Lynn punches Rivers's arm.

"Okay, gezz. I've only been taking computers for a while." Backspacing he types the correct address. "Here we go. I'm in. We just have to type what we want, e-mail it, then wait."


	16. Chapter 16

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**2:48 P.M**

"Gwen wake up." Feeling my left side being pushed in, I open my eyes slowly.

"The power go back on?" Rubbing my eyes, I glance out the window. "It's gotten dark. How long have I been asleep?"

"Four hours? Did you get enough sleep last night?" I look up into Stephanie's face then at everyone else lying around the room.

"Work stupid thing. Work." Rivers whines poking each key with a finger.

"Man this is bull. I'm going to have a smoke." Rodney slams the door on his way out.

"They should have fixed it by now." Lester shifts uneasy in his chair.

"It's a big city slick." Jackson gives out a cough. Silence, again fills the room. I search everybody's face, trying to think of an interesting conversation, when I see Ziggy.

"Excuse me Steph." Getting up, I make my way over to the corner where Ziggy is sketching.

"What are you drawing?"

"Nothin' much." He glances up at me, then back down.

"Oh." I slide down the wall next to him. My eye catches his ripped shirt. His scars put a hole in my heart. "There's a place I know of." This gets his attention. "During the summer I volunteer at a shelter for kids." I pull up my sleeves, revealing bruise marks that never healed. "Kids like us." I whisper quietly.

"Your… your adopted parent?" His eyes open wide.

"No she's too sweet to harm anyone." I stare at my bruises. "My dad. He used to drink a lot, y'know?" He nods his head. "I use to think I was safe. In my room anyway. That used to by my world. I could do anything I wanted." I tenderly follow the pattern of the bruises.

"What happened?" Ziggy closes his book, and sets it to the side. "I mean if you want to tell-"

"My dad didn't like that I talked to myself, or the ideas my mother gave me."

"My dad doesn't like that either. That's why my mom left." Ziggy starts playing with the rubber coming off his shoe.

"My dad killed my mom." I speak in a whisper. "And set fire to everything." Pulling off my hat, and unwrapping the wrap around my head I turn away from Ziggy. "He set fire to my hair."

"Will it grow back?" He asked touching the second degree burn on the right side of my head.

"No. That's why I wear wraps." I pull on my ski hat, and began turning the blue silk scarf in my hand. "My dad's in prison because of me. After I threw my head in the bathtub, I stole the cell phone from his room, and ran into the front closet. He said he'll come and kill me after he gets out of prison."

Ziggy gazes into my eyes. A sorry behind them. "I just wanted to answer your question." I get up, wiping the dirt off my pants. "Call me this summer, and I'll get you a job at the shelter. Their always looking for help."

**2:52 A.M **

"The powers back" Rivers shouts from the computer. "E-mail should arrive in 3-2-1! You got mail!" Stephanie runs over to the T.V., and turns it on. The lady with big glasses appears.

"We finally have power." She announces.

"No shit." Rodney walks into the room.

"Shh. Stephanie turn it up." Lester leans back in his chair.

"We have just received an e-mail from the students holding a hostage at Lincoln High. Here is what it reads: _We are not gang members as we've been portrayed. The shooting of Officer Jackson was an accident due to miss communication. This situation began with the conditions of our school. Negotiators have asked us what are demands are, and here are what they are as followed: _

_1.Fix the broken windows_

_2.Fix the leaking pipes and electric wiring_

_3.Establish a career day_

_4.Get Mr. Knowles back_

_5.New Textbooks for every subject_

RING! Lester picks up the phone. We watch him in silence. "Yeah Audrey we e-mailed that. Is that not part of the game?"

"You look like you need another wrap?" I walk over to Jackson, glancing down at the scarf already wrapped around his leg. "Here." Kneeling down, I thread my blue scarf over and under him.

"Tell me something?" He grips my arm. I shrug out of it, taken by surprise. "You still that scared seven year old?"

"What?" I back away from him.

"You heard me." Jackson stares at my face. "Are you?"

"HEY EVERYONE! LOOK OUTSIDE!" Lynn hollers, opening all the blinds to the windows.

"Bye Audrey." Lester hangs up, then rushes to the window. We follow him. Outside there are mobs of people holding up signs, and shouting, "THANKS FOR STANDING UP!" An' other things like that.

"Wow what the hell?" Rivers opens the window, sticks his head out and screams a yahoo! A search light lights him up. I stand in aww looking at everyone. I search the faces of everyone, until I see one I particular. On a blue poster with gold letters are the words: I'M LISTENING. Holding the poster is no one other then Trevor.

My gaze is broken, when Lynn and Rivers bump into me, trying to stick an American flag out the window. "It's backwards." I holler at them over the crowd below. Laughing they turn it around. It seemed like forever sticking our heads out the windows screeching like banshees, because our voices are finally being heard.

"Vocal cords hurt now." Stephanie chuckles as she brings her head back inside.

"Mine too." I run a hand over my throat.

RING- "What now?" Lester picks up the phone. Mumbling on the other line. "Stay on? Audrey look at the news. Our voices are being heard. No need for negotiations now." Hanging up, he comes over to Ziggy and they start to do a dance.

"You sure you want to end an alliance now slick?" Jackson coughs again. Lester only snickers at him. "Your move brother." He gulps down the rest of the water beside him.


	17. Chapter 17

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**4:02 P.M**

"It's been an hour, shouldn't at least one person call, telling us their on their way to fix the pipes or electricity?" Stephanie whines as she doodles on the piece of paper.

"It could be awhile." Lynn whispers laying her head down on her coat.

"It has been awhile."

"Look how dark it's gotten." Staring out the window, I place a hand on the freezing glass. The only light flooding into the library is coming from the search lights, and stadium lights outside.

"I need to use the restroom." Jackson turns his eyes to Lester. Lester only looks at Rodney, and nods.

"Hell no." Rodney slides out of the chair.

"Just go." Lester pulls his coat around him. Rodney snickers, and unlocks the handcuffs.

"Ya owe me. Come on big man." Pulling him up violently, they vanish out the door. Silence once again fills the room.

RING!

"Audrey. What's with our demands? They happening or not?….Yeah… Companies. Fine. But they better send some people. Ya. We're all fine. Jackson. He's with- Audrey? Audrey?" Lester shouts into the phone. "What the fuck? Did the electricity go out again?"

"No. The lights are still on." I stare at everyone from the window seat.

"Something isn't right." Lynn raises her head up. Ziggy sticks his head out the door.

"It's quiet out there." Bringing his head back in he shuts the door softly.

_(ODE TO JOY MUSIC BEGINS TO PLAY)_

"What's that?" Everyone turns toward me.

"Unknown number?" I say pulling my cell phone out of my pocket, and looking at caller ID.

"Let me see it." Snatching it before I could answer Lester mumbles into the phone.

"Hello?… Knowles? Ya… What?" We gather around him, wondering why Knowles is calling. "Thanks." Handing the phone to me his face turns grave. "We have to get out of here."

SMACK! Outside the door it's sounds as if a body dropped to the floor.


	18. Chapter 18

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**4:04 P.M**

"What the?" All of us trying to squeeze our way into the hall, we see Jackson lying on the floor trying to get up. "Rodney. Your suppose to keep him in check man." Lester walks over to him.

"I was. But this mother fucker drew a pen on me." Rodney wipes a sleeve over his bloody lip. As Lester and Rodney started arguing, I glance down the stairwell. Seeing a red beam aimed at Lynn's head, I follow it to a tip of gun.

"Get down." I shriek, pushing Lynn to the ground. BAM! A bullet fired, it hit's the window behind us. I feel it's shattered fragments hit my back, but not doing any damage.

"MOVE!" Rivers screams flinging his arms about as he runs down the hall. We follow behind him. Reaching the end of the hall, we see a blaze of fire at the stairwell, we where at.

"What now?" Stephanie begins to panic.

"Follow me." Ziggy runs up the stairs, us following behind like obedient puppies. At the top of the stairs he disappears up a ladder. Hearing the gates open at the bottom of the stairs, we scramble up it.


	19. Chapter 19

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**4:06 P.M**

"Damn." Closing the door to the ladder I look at whatever Rivers is looking at.

"Holy cow." All over the walls and ceiling are murals of people shaking hands, kids playing, and other paintings of whatever our world would appear like if we _"had"_ peace and harmony. Vibrant colors light up as Ziggy lights candles. Gathering around him. a grin forms across his face as he holds a candle up to his face.

Behind him is a mural, a replica of the "Finger of God." Only it's him reaching his finger up toward the heavens. "You paint this?" I gaze at it in aww. He only nods.

"Hey little man. You live here man?" Rodney takes a step towards him.

"Yeah." He takes a quick glimpse at his feet. "I thought it would be safe here."

"Your still safe." Lester moves toward him.

"Nah." Rodney shakes his head. "The cops. Their going to come in here and smoke all of us."

"Damn it Rodney." Lynn smacks his shoulder.

"They don't know where we are." Ziggy steps forward.

"Yeah. But for how long?" Now it's Rodney's turn to panic. "They shoot now, as questions later. Isn't that right Les-"

"Stop it Rodney. That's enough all right."

"Lester." Stephanie tries to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Everyone knows what's down there." He steps away from her. "If any of ya want to leave, there's the door." He heads toward the window. Stephanie follows behind him. I stand near enough to hear their conversation.

"Lester. You don't know how much longer he's going to make it without a doctor." She looks down at Jackson. "An' honestly, I'm not willing to let anyone die here, an I know nether are you."

"If we all get nothin'. Why did we do it for him? I let Ziggy down, everyone down just like-"

"Lester. We've followed you. You've hyped up this whole city, an' everyone knows who we are now. That's doing something. Isn't it?"

"Stephanie-" I didn't want to hear anymore, so sliding down the pillar, I find myself beside Jackson.

"You still haven't answered my question yet." I turn my head toward him. "You still that scared seven year old in the closet?" I turn away. "Rodriquez. I knew that name sounded familiar. I just didn't recognize it at first." He glances at his hands. "Your brave." This caught my attention. "What you did. Calling the cops on your father. Not many people do that."

"That isn't bravery. That's a death sentence." I pull on my ski hat.

"Bravery plays into all circumstances. Hell! Honestly what you kids are doing. It's all right." I look at him in question. "I see why your doing it. I'll respect it, even though I've had this treatment." A smile tugs at my lips. "If dumb and dumber doesn't mess this up, you could still have a chance at a life."

A silence falls between us.

"I'm not going to die here. I won't." He puts a hand on his leg. He notices me staring. "I'll be ok. This situation will play out right. I promise." Scanning the room with my eyes, I watch everyone in their own conversations, and Rivers pushing a trashcan over the door.

**4:17 P.M**

"GET UP." Lester grabs Jackson's arm, and forcing him up.

"Lester what are you doing!" I stand up in a rush.

"They want their officer, they can have him." He forces Jackson to a door leading to the roof. "Everyone stays here." Going out he slams the door, causing icicles to fall from the window.


	20. Chapter 20

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**4:28 P.M.**

"Where are they? It's been ten minutes." Stephanie paces in front of the doorway.

"They aren't coming back. The cops got them." Rodney stares blankly out the window.

"Rodney will you stop with your mouth? Your scaring the shit out of everyone." Lynn rubs her bloody palm, as she tries to get the rest of the glass out that made their way into her hand.

"I'm only being honest."

"You think the cops really smoked them? Then why don't you go out there and see." Rivers says gruffly, helping Lynn tie a handkerchief around her palm.

"I'll do something better if they haven't killed them yet." Rodney snickers trying to be brave. He shoves Stephanie out of the way, and slams the door.

"What did you think he meant by that?" Stephanie runs to the window, to see Rodney disappear behind a wall. I shrug my shoulders.


	21. Chapter 21

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**4:37 P.M**

After Rodney left, it seems like we have nothing to say to each other. Perhaps, because we've already said too much. It seems like it dropped ten degrees in this attic, and we're all waiting anxiously for something to happen. Something that will finally bring this day to a screeching halt.

"I'm going after them." Ziggy breaks the silence as he opens the door.

"Ziggy wait!" I shout. I'm to late. He only closes the door behind my echo. Silence falls.


	22. Chapter 22

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**4:39 P.M.**

BAM! Everyone ran to the window to see where the gun shot came from. Stepping on each other, not one of us could see anything. SCREECH! Behind us, the trashcan we put over the attic door began to move as the door lifted up. Frozen to the spot, we watch in horror.

"GET DOWN!" Seven men appear, aiming gun tips right at our faces. Without any of us hesitating we fling our bodies against the floor, and cover our heads. I close my eyes as I feel hands searching my body for weapons. "Clear." I hear the officer, who searched me, bark.

"Clear." Next to me another officer speaks. After everyone has been cleared, the officers forcefully pull us to our feet. "PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOU!" Doing so, I feel cold medal being clamped around my wrists. I look over at Stephanie who is trying so hard not to let tears fall.

Leading us to the ladder, they help us down, while other officers at the bottom take us, then lead us down the hall, down the stairs, and to the front of the school.

I turn my head toward Armstrong's office, then back to the blue double doors. Closing my eyes once again, I feel the icy air hit my face like pins going into my flesh.


	23. Chapter 23

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

**5:21 P.M**

I believe it was once said by Albert Einstein, that if you travel faster then light, that everything around you will appear slower. Perhaps time itself will stop.

Walking down the sidewalk from the school to the patrol cars, it seemed as if I was nothing. I'm swimming in some odd dimension where it was people I know, and didn't know just staring. Their faces a blur, but their features sharp. It was quiet, but I could see their mouths move.

I stared down at my feet, as I ducked into the car. With it closing, I laid my head against the warm leather. I rolled my head toward the window, and my eyes caught Stephanie in the car across from me. She caught my glance, and nodded her head. Her car began to drive off. Turning my focus straight ahead, I could make out Lynn. She had a tear rolling down her face. As her car drove off I saw her clutch her stomach.

With a shut of the door, the officer who drove "my" car didn't even look in my direction. The engine groaned, then set the car in motion. I pulled my ski hat over my eyes, so I couldn't see the faces around me.

It seemed like only hours before I was sitting in Knowles classroom, getting hit with trash bags. Now I'm in a tiny room, sitting on a orange plastic chair, while a secretary goes over my files. Tomorrow will be the court hearing.

Glancing out the tiny window in the room, I watch as a light snow falls. "Excuse me." An officer with bright red hair enters carrying a note in his hand. "There was an accident."

**5:38 P.M**

He only wanted a place to be safe. Safe away from his abusive father. Ziggy finally is. For twenty minutes or so, the officer told me what happened on the roof. He said Rodney held a knife to Jackson's throat, while Lester pointed the gun at him. They said the snipers where on stand by. If anybody interfered, they had the right to shoot.

He explained that Ziggy saw the red light on Lester's neck, and knew they were going to shoot him. Ziggy ran toward Lester, and they shoot him.

**5:59 P.M**

After the officer left, I was allowed to go. On the way home, Mamma and I didn't say a word. I only glimpsed at her face a couple of times, to see tears falling down her cheeks. I ran to my room, and hid under the covers. Crying, I fell asleep.


	24. Chapter 24

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**Tuesday**

During the hearing, we thought Jackson would testify against us. We thought wrong. Jackson supported us. He explained the situation and all that had happened in the Armstrong's office, the hall, library, attic, and roof. We started to ease up after he spoke. It felt nerve racking to be sitting on the stand each explaining our point of views, and why we where there. Why we decided, six unlikely people, to stand up together.


	25. Chapter 25

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE 

**Epilogue**

"The Jury's decision as followed for the six Lincoln High Students:"

**Lester Dewitt:** Two years sentence in up state New York

**Gwen Rodriquez: **Three hundred and sixty hours of community service, and one month in jail.

**Rodney J. Templeton: **Five years sentence in Queens.

**Robert Tremont: **One year sentence in up state New York

**Lynn Sabatini: **One month of Probation and two hundred and sixty hours of community service.

**Stephanie Williams:** One year sentence in up state New York

As we said our goodbyes we all headed out the door one last time as a whole.

**Four Years Later : 2003 **

I'm using my time trying to get my diploma to graduate from NYU this year. Sometimes when I study I think about the six other people I was stuck in the library with in the winter of 1999. What I heard about them was only this:

Lynn had her baby, Zechariah, and last I know she's some where in Maine. Rivers is now a successful business man in one of New York's leading companies. Rodney is bowing on his knees, but not for the reason you think. (He still has two years left.) Jackson is now a retired cop, and helped his wife open another clinic for abused children in Queens. Stephanie spent one year in prison, and now is in collage. (On a scholar ship.) She's hoping she can go to medical school after.

Lester got out of jail two years ago, and is trying to get a teaching degree. He visit's the school every year now. (Which has been fixed up, and given new textbooks, thanks to a certain circumstance).

As for Ziggy, I hope he's happy. When Lester visit's the school, Stephanie and I go with him. In the attic Lester holds a memorial in front of selected students. He tells of a story about how seven students like themselves were tired of never being listened too. He said, it was on the coldest day in Queens that the students had their voices heard, but with a price. He said that the price was of a life, but not one that was to be taken in vain.

This life, was to be why these seven students came together, to rise Above The Influence.


End file.
